This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Out is In Movement


2014 Park and Recreation Month Editorial Story

 

Headline: Glencoe Park District Wants You to Get OUTside and Experience Your Local Parks and Recreation

Find out what's happening in Winnetka-Glencoewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Subhead: Planned activities include Park-n-Play, Gazebo Grooves and Tots and Tunes

Since 1985, America has celebrated July as the nation’s official Park and Recreation Month. Created by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), Park and Recreation Month specifically highlights the vital role local parks and recreation, such as Glencoe Park District, play in conservation, health and wellness, and social equity efforts in communities all across the country.

Find out what's happening in Winnetka-Glencoewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This year, Glencoe Park District and NRPA want everyone to go OUTside, get INspired, change their OUTlook and get INvolved in the community. Glencoe Park District encourages and invites all people in Glencoe to celebrate Park and Recreation Month during July by getting OUTside and INto their local parks.

This year’s theme, “OUT is IN,” was crowdsourced and then voted on by NRPA members via social media. The theme is intended to bring awareness to the need to connect more people, adults and children alike, to nature and the outdoors. In fact, a recent nationwide survey released by NRPA and conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs found that nearly three in 10 U.S. adults do not spend time outside on a daily basis and of those who do spend daily time outside, almost half spend less than 30 minutes in the fresh air.

In Glencoe, you can help reverse this trend and take the OUT is IN challenge by doing a typical indoor activity outdoors everyday in July. You can also participate in Glencoe Park District’s Park-n-Play. Each week, Park-n-Play travels to a different Glencoe Park to lead outdoor activities for families to enjoy together. Park-n-Play will visit Glencoe Parks on July 10, 17, 24 and 31 from 6:30-7:30pm. Visit www.glencoeparkdistrict.com for activities and locations. Other outdoor options include Tots and Tunes, where kids will be dancing and singing along when children’s performers take the stage at Kalk Park. Jim Gill will play the next Tots-n-Tunes on July 22 at Kalk Park from 10:30-11:15am. Finally, Soda and Midwest Dueling Pianos will perform live outdoor concerts for Gazebo Grooves on July 16 and 23 from 6:30-8pm. Visit www.glencoeparkdistrict.com for locations.

“We are so excited to celebrate Park and Recreation Month and highlight the benefits of the great outdoors right here in Glencoe,” says Lisa Sheppard, Glencoe Park District Executive Director. “Park and Recreation Month is a great time to just get out there and experience all the wonderful aspects of parks and recreation and gain an appreciation for the benefits they bring to the lives of the people of Glencoe.”

Glencoe Park District is leading initiatives and providing opportunities for people to achieve healthier lifestyles, promote and understand nature and conservation as well as bringing the community closer through a variety of programs and services.

Nationally, NRPA is encouraging all people to participate in a 31-day social media challenge on  Twitter and Instagram. Anyone can participate by posting photos of themselves doing typical inside activities outside with the hashtag #JulyOUTisIN. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org/July.

Learn about the exciting Park and Recreation Month activities planned for Glencoe and more at 847-835-3030 or visit online at www.glencoeparkdistrict.com.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?